Marine Biology Vocabulary Quiz
12 multiple-choice questions on marine biology and ocean science vocabulary: bioluminescence, coral bleaching, pelagic zones, phytoplankton, thermocline, upwelling and ocean acidification. B2 level.
This quiz focuses on how the target vocabulary for Marine Biology is actually used in context at B2 level, rather than testing bare definitions. Correct answers you will need to identify include terms such as bioluminescence, bleaching, benthic, pelagic and phytoplankton, each embedded in a full example sentence so you have to judge meaning from context, not just recognise an isolated word.
Working through all 12 questions and checking the explanations in the FAQ below is a quick way to spot any terms you are still unsure of. Revisiting the quiz again after a day or two, rather than only once, is one of the most reliable ways to move new vocabulary from passive recognition into words you can use confidently yourself in speaking and writing.
Keep building your marine biology vocabulary.
Marine Biology Vocabulary — FAQ
What is 'bioluminescence' in marine biology?
Bioluminescence is the production of light by living organisms through chemical reactions. In the ocean it is found in dinoflagellates, jellyfish, squid, deep-sea fish and many other species. It serves functions including attracting prey, deterring predators, communicating and camouflage.
What is 'coral bleaching'?
Coral bleaching occurs when stressed coral polyps expel the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) that give coral its colour and energy. Ocean warming from climate change is the main driver of mass bleaching events. Without the algae, corals turn white and die if stress continues.
What does 'pelagic' mean in oceanography?
Pelagic refers to the open water column, away from the coast and seafloor. The pelagic zone is divided by depth into the epipelagic (sunlit), mesopelagic (twilight), bathypelagic (midnight zone) and deeper layers. Pelagic fish include tuna, mackerel and herring.
What does 'benthic' mean?
Benthic refers to the ecological zone at the lowest level of a body of water, including the seabed. Benthic organisms include worms, crabs, starfish, sea cucumbers and coral. Benthic ecosystems are sensitive to trawling, pollution and oxygen depletion.
What is 'phytoplankton'?
Phytoplankton are microscopic photosynthetic organisms in the surface layers of oceans and freshwater. They include algae, cyanobacteria and diatoms. They form the base of most aquatic food chains and produce about half of all oxygen on Earth.
What is a 'thermocline'?
A thermocline is a layer where ocean temperature drops sharply with depth, separating warm surface water from cold deep water. It acts as a barrier to nutrient and oxygen mixing. In tropical oceans it is permanent; in temperate oceans it is seasonal.
What is 'upwelling' in ocean science?
Upwelling is the rise of deep, cold, nutrient-rich water to the ocean surface, driven by wind and the Coriolis effect. Upwelling zones off Peru, California and West Africa are among the most productive marine ecosystems because the nutrients fuel phytoplankton blooms.
What are 'intertidal zones'?
The intertidal zone is the shoreline area exposed at low tide and covered at high tide. Organisms such as barnacles, limpets and mussels must adapt to dramatic changes in temperature, salinity and moisture. It is divided from the splash zone to the low-tide zone.
What are 'zooplankton'?
Zooplankton are tiny drifting animals including copepods, krill and jellyfish larvae. They link microscopic phytoplankton to larger consumers such as fish and whales. Krill are a keystone food source in polar oceans.
What is ocean acidification?
Ocean acidification is the decrease in ocean pH caused by CO2 absorption from the atmosphere forming carbonic acid. Since the industrial revolution, ocean acidity has increased by about 26%, threatening shell-building organisms such as oysters, mussels, corals and plankton.